I was born and raised in Goa. My photographic interests lie in landscapes, people, portraiture, culture, architecture and photojournalism. Geographical areas of focus are Goa, Iceland, and the Death Valley region of California.

I have photographed extensively in my homeland Goa, recording its land, culture and people, elements that express its sui generis ethos. I have documented the destruction of Goa's environment and its slide into the ugliness and urban chaos that characterize today's India.

Over the past decade, I have traveled all over Iceland, to most of its remote areas, in an ongoing in-depth exploration.

Declaration:
I strive to create images that comport with my sensibilities and idea of beauty. My photograph is an interpretation, not a faithful documentation of “reality." The exception is when I am working on a photojournalism project. I like to think of my images as "reality" refracted through my personal aesthetic prism.

As a general principle, I do not insert objects that were not already present in the frame when I took the shot. However, I allow myself the license to erase objects that violate my sense of compositional balance or beauty. My artistic impulse is expressed well in the words of the great mathematician Hermann Weyl:

"My work always tried to unite the true with the beautiful; but when I had to choose one or the other, I usually chose the beautiful."

Photo credit: Sanjeev Trivedi

Hanuman of Advalpal

May 11, 2010

Ensconced in an orchard in the Goan village of Advalpal, an old and precious temple of Hanuman lies in a state of criminal neglect. Physical decay of the structure has taken hold, inside and out. This corrosion of the land’s cultural soul is a corollary to the ecocide underway in Goa.

Inside the shrine an exquisite image of Maruti greets the visitor. But there is more – the entire temple is embellished with kaavi (sgraffito) and represents one of the finest examples of its kind in Goa, as seen in the photographs below.

Ravaged by destructive mining the settlement of Advalpal is under severe pressure from rapacious miners and their political enablers. The future of this temple is highly uncertain – it is located on private property and the owner has had ‘offers’.

Even looking at the photograph in these maddeningly hot summer months makes one feel so refreshingly cool. Somewhat strangely, I hope that old Hanuman remains a little obscure in his haven in Advalpal, with just a few but discerning followers. For if the hordes begin to worship him then someone or the other will want to display their devotion to the monkey man by razing this little beauty down and replacing it with the concrete that so pleases modern sensibilities.ReplyCancel